1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treatment method of organic compounds so as to oxidize and decompose water-soluble organic compounds, such as organic acids included in waste water, a treatment apparatus of the organic compounds, a treatment system of the organic compounds, and a system for collecting bitumen.
2. Description of Related Art
In an exemplary method of treatment of organic compounds in waste water, activated carbon is dipped in the waste water to remove the organic compounds by adsorption. In another method, the organic compounds are removed by flowing the waste water through an adsorber filled with an adsorbent.
In these methods, when the adsorbent reaches its saturation state, no more organic compounds can be adsorbed, in which case the adsorbent has to be replaced, it has to be removed and heated for reproduction, or a new adsorbent has to be added. In the case of replacement, the used activated carbon, which is an adsorbent, has to be handled as a waste material. When heating is performed for reproduction, adsorbed organic compounds are desorbed and thereby treatment of it is involved. Part of the activated carbon is oxidized and consumed during the heating for reproduction.
Another method is also known, in which the organic compounds in the waste water are oxidized and decomposed by activated oxygen generated by electrolysis. In an example of this method, waste liquid in a waste liquid storage tank is circulated between the waste liquid storage tank and an electrolyzer, and electrolysis is carried out in the electrolyzer so as to generate activated oxygen in the circulating waste liquid; the organic compounds are oxidized and decomposed by an oxidization and decomposition process by the generated activated oxygen (see Patent Document 1). In the Patent Document 1, the use of an adsorbent is not described.
In a method in which the organic compounds are adsorbed by activated carbon and undergoes electrolysis, liquid resulting from a secondary treatment of human waste is oxidized by ozone and then passed through an electrolysis apparatus in which granular activated carbon is filled between a cathode and an anode, and a current is supplied between the electrodes so that the organic compounds are occluded and adsorbed for electrolytic oxidation (see Patent Document 2). In the method described in the Patent Document 2, the granular adsorbent is also used as a plurality of electrodes, so the adsorbent must be electrically conductive, limiting the adsorbent to activated carbon. Since the activated carbon works as electrodes, the activated carbon used as the anode is oxidized and thus gradually consumed.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. Hei 8(1996)-192162    Patent Document 2: Japanese Application Patent Laid-open Publication No. Sho 59(1984)-127691